Nato approves military support for US

Nato has approved the United States' eight specific requests for military and logistical support in the war against terrorism, after Washington provided evidence of Osama bin Laden's involvement in the attacks on New York and Washington.

Nato's secretary general, Lord Robertson, confirmed that the 18 Nato allies of the US had agreed to back up earlier promises of military hardware and intelligence support.

The support measures, to be taken "individually and collectively", include the provision of Nato's 17 Awacs early warning aircraft, as well as the deployment, if necessary, of ships from the Alliance Standing Naval Force to the eastern Mediterranean.

The US requests to Nato include access to alliance members' ports, airspace and airports, according to Italian foreign minister Renato Ruggiero.

He said the US had asked Nato members to make available their Alliance radar aircraft and to provide financial aid to Pakistan and other countries affected by the campaign.

But Nato itself has refused to spell out the exact content of the list of requests and declined to speculate on when the assistance might be called upon.

Lord Robertson said the backing of Nato demonstrated the commitment of the European Alliance partners to support and contribute to the US-led assault against terrorism.

He warned that those prepared to confront terrorism might face problems along the way.

It took the Allies just 24 hours to assess and accept the eight separate requests for specific help lodged by Washington. Lord Robertson acknowledged that the US was in the lead in the campaign - not Nato.

He said: "Nato will play its part but is not the only factor."

Diplomatic sources at Alliance headquarters have said the aid requested was essentially a compilation of the kinds of support the US has already obtained from member states on a bilateral basis.

For example, France has agreed to open its airspace and has offered naval and logistics support in the Indian ocean.

Germany said the US request included cooperation on intelligence, protection of US installations in Nato countries, unlimited overflight rights and air space surveillance.

On Tuesday, the allies formally invoked Nato's Article 5, which says an attack against one member is an attack against all.

The decision on the request for assistance from the United States was taken by the so-called silent procedure, by which the member states agree if they do not raise objections by a certain deadline.